Kelley D. Hamilton of Salem, Oregon, who currently serves as the CEO of Bonaventure Senior Living, encourages Bonaventure’s senior residents to aim high and achieve their dreams. For Kelley D. Hamilton of Salem, Oregon, one prime example of an active, accomplished senior is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Kelley D. Hamilton of Salem, Oregon, applauds Schwarzenegger for his commitment to community service.

Kelley D. Hamilton, Salem Oregon: It established California as a leader on combating climate change and promoting renewable energy.

Q: What were his chief initiatives while in office?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Salem Oregon: Physical fitness for Americans has been a primary focus for Arnold. He’s proven his dedication in a number of ways.

Q: How so?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Salem Oregon: Arnold was the Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

Q: When was that?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Salem Oregon: He served during the presidency of George H.W. Bush.

Q: What other organizations has he served?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Salem Oregon: Arnold is now the Chairman of the After School All-Stars. The organization is an education-based program held nationwide.

Q: What’s Arnold working on now?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Salem Oregon: Arnold currently lives in Hollywood. He’s making films and finishing his autobiography due out this fall.

As CEO of Bonaventure Senior Living, Kelley D. Hamilton of Salem, Oregon, preaches the power of positivity to all Bonaventure residents. Kelley D. Hamilton leads the collection of senior living communities from the Bonaventure Home Office in Salem, Oregon in their dedication to serving senior adults and providing an active and fulfilling retirement lifestyle.

As chief executive officer, Kelley Hamilton of Bonaventure Senior Living knows that many seniors suffer from arthritis. Arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints and connective tissue. The disease can deform joints and render people immobile, says Kelley Hamilton, Bonaventure CEO. Due to inflammation, arthritis causes noticeable pain, heat and swelling of the joints. Women are three times more likely affected than men. Depending on the severity of the disease, morning stiffness can occur, which sometimes stays throughout the day. According to Kelley Hamilton of Bonaventure, a targeted selection of food can help relieve arthritis symptoms. Today, Kelley Hamilton of Bonaventure joins A Gathering of Experts to discuss how to create a diet for arthritis and which foods can ease aching joints.

A Gathering of Experts: Thank you for being with us today.

Kelley Hamilton, Bonaventure CEO: It’s my pleasure.

A Gathering of Experts: Arthritis is one of the most common health problems in the U.S. Is it just an older person’s condition?

Kelley Hamilton, Bonaventure CEO: Arthritis can affect anyone at any age—not just seniors. It’s true that the incidence of arthritis increases with age, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 3 out of every 5 arthritis patients are younger than age 65.

A Gathering of Experts: What exactly is arthritis?

Kelley Hamilton, Bonaventure CEO: A faulty immune system causes inflammation of the joints. Initially, mostly the small finger and toe joints are affected. They begin to ache suddenly, swell and feel warmer than usual. Usually, the pain in the second half of the night and morning are particularly strong.

A Gathering of Experts: Can arthritis be prevented or cured?

Kelley Hamilton, Bonaventure CEO: You cannot prevent rheumatoid arthritis and it’s not yet curable. But more and more people can live with less pain through early treatment and a healthy lifestyle.

A Gathering of Experts: What is the relationship between diet and arthritis?

Kelley Hamilton, Bonaventure CEO: Some scientific studies have demonstrated a general correlation between nutrition and arthritis. It is undisputed that foods containing arachidonic acid have an inflammation-promoting effect. These, for example, include eggs.

A Gathering of Experts: So certain foods can positively impact the course of the disease?

Kelley Hamilton, Bonaventure CEO: Yes,nutrition is an important addition to the therapy protocol for arthritis. Anti-inflammatory foods such as the omega-3 fatty acids should be included in the diet. Herring, salmon or trout are especially rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

A Gathering of Experts: What symptoms can be relieved with the right diet?

Kelley Hamilton, Bonaventure CEO: Research studies have proven that swelling, excess heat and pain can be relieved with an appropriate diet.

A Gathering of Experts: What other foods should be included?

Kelley Hamilton, Bonaventure CEO: Fruits and vegetables, because many of them contain antioxidants. The best effect is achieved if vitamins are absorbed through the consumption of plant foods vs. supplements.

Kelley Hamilton, Bonaventure CEO: A change of diet can lead to weight loss, which means fewer pounds on the aching joints.

Kelley Hamilton, Bonaventure CEO, makes sure that chefs at the senior living communities prepare meals rich in fruits and vegetables for their residents. Kelley Hamilton of Bonaventure says that low-fat dairy products are also on the daily menu. Alcohol and nicotine should be avoided at all costs, notes Kelley Hamilton of Bonaventure. According to Kelley Hamilton, Bonaventure residents and other patients can use good diet to support their drug therapy and improve the long-term course of the disease. Kelley Hamilton of Bonaventure lives in Oregon.

Kelley D. Hamilton serves as CEO of Bonaventure Senior Living. As CEO, Kelley D. Hamilton manages a company with 37 senior living communities across the western half of the United States. Kelley D. Hamilton is rightly proud of Bonaventure’s track record when it comes to meeting the needs of their older-adult residents. Kelley D. Hamilton leads a great management team at Bonaventure, promoting exceptional senior lifestyles throughout the northwest. Today, we talk to Kelley D. Hamilton about hobbies for those who are of retirement age.

Q: Kelley D. Hamilton, with Baby Boomers hitting retirement age, we’re seeing a retiree population that’s more active and engaged. What are some popular hobbies for seniors?

Kelley D. Hamilton: We see a big boom in ancestry and genealogy work. It opens people up to things they didn’t know about their ancestors, and the Internet has made it much easier to access that information.

Q: Things like Ancestry.com?

Kelley D. Hamilton: Yes, that is a perfect example. That’s all work that used to take hours of sorting through paper records.

Q: Yes, isn’t there a big boom in Internet use by seniors?

Kelley D. Hamilton: There sure is. Every generation of internet browsers and operating systems is becoming a little easier to use. Seniors find that a whole new world opens up for them with the internet.

Q: Aren’t seniors on social media a lot, too?

Kelley D. Hamilton: Yes, now more than ever. Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter have plenty of seniors on board, and it gives them a whole new way to keep up with family, friends and interest groups.

Q: Do seniors tend toward music?

Kelley D. Hamilton: Absolutely! Part of the beauty of retirement is being able to pursue things you didn’t have time for during your career. Learning an instrument is a perfect example.

Q: Along the same lines, what about painting?

Kelley D. Hamilton: Yes, another great example. A lot of people find they have a hidden muse, and a creative message that’s waiting to get out. Canvas, paint and brushes are a great way to unlock that.

Q: They’re cheap, too.

Kelley D. Hamilton: Yes, if you do five paintings and decide you don’t like them, it’s easy enough to just throw them away and start over with five more.

Q: Tell me about faux stained glass, I’ve heard a little about it.

Kelley D. Hamilton: Well, you can get patterns online or just make your own, and then have your local hardware store cut glass to fit. The rest of the kit is available at supply shops. It’s painstaking work, but the results can be spectacular.

Q: Really, about anything that keeps people engaged is good, isn’t it?

Kelley D. Hamilton: Yes, even for seniors who are really compromised physically, things like crosswords, Sudoku puzzles, card games and reading are great for keeping the brain active and engaged. Some seniors have even found their hobbies to be profitable by selling their creations and artwork at craft shows or even through online auction sites.

During his time at Bonaventure, Kelley D. Hamilton has instituted town hall meetings and appraisal forms to give residents a voice in the management of the company. Kelley D. Hamilton is a graduate of Portland State University. After graduation Kelley D. Hamilton co-founded Kline Hamilton Realty Advisors. Kelley D. Hamilton came on board with Bonaventure in 2000, when the company was known as Mountain West Retirement and was comprised of only two communities. Kelley D. Hamilton is a firm believer in Bonaventure’s motto, “Live Life on Your Terms” which directly supports the “Retirement Perfected” philosophy.